52 Project, Week 16: Multiple

This multiple image has been something I have wanted to try for a long time. Creating a double exposure effect of a person and trees has always held a strange appeal for me. I’ve seen a lot of variations, but I wanted something that was unique and a bit different than what I had seen.

I feel that there is always something that is occupying our minds. We are longing for that hope which our future holds, whether near or far. We have little hopes and big hopes. Dreams don’t need to be rational to be longed for. Simply holding on to an idea of something that brings us joy is how we continue to move forward each day.

My daughter always says, whenever we see a particularly beautiful, deep grove of trees, “I want to live there.” My sweet Cupcake has heard me mention dreamily often that I want to move up north and live in the woods. Using her for this project was perfect. She’s dreaming of the deep woods.

I don’t know when our dream of living in the woods will come true. In my head, I have this beautiful image of paradise earth with trees that stretch on for miles. Till that day comes, we’ll happily enjoy camping up north and soaking in the fresh air of the many pines.

What is your vision of hope for the future?

Previous Week: 52 Project, Week 15: Hobby
Next Week: 52 Project, Week 17: Light
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August 12, 2017July 3, 2018

52 Project, Week 15: Hobby

Choosing one hobby for this project was no easy task! I have many, many hobbies and interests. I love learning, I love being busy and creative. Ultimately, at the base of that, has always been reading

I love to read. I have always loved reading. I can remember my Father teaching me to read my first books, The Fox and the Box and Green Eggs and Ham. As a child, I was teased for being the girl who always had a book in her hand. I could read 7 books in a day at one point. My elementary school librarian told me that I read too much and I needed to get out there and live a little. There was more to life than books! I still laugh remembering the shock I felt. If a librarian tells me that I read too much, it might be a wakeup call.

There is no limit to the type of book I like to enjoy. I love learning about many different topics, so the non-fiction section is where I spend most of my time in the library. I do love fiction, but I usually listen to those as audiobooks while I work. With 4 small children, sitting down to enjoy a great novel can be difficult.

When it comes to learning new subjects, I love to have my children join me. I took an anatomy course online earlier this year and I really loved it, but going through the textbook and pouring over the pages was such a thrill for me. I read and reread so many sections, took notes and I probably drove my family crazy with my exclamations. Everyone got a chance to learn along with me as I described the wonders of cell structure, the fascination of a neuron, The complexity of all of our systems, working together in harmony. It’s beautiful and awe-inspiring. I felt closer to God, marveling in how he created us with such intricacy and detail.

Right now I’m listening to a book on neuroscience, a book on pediatrics rounds, a book on integrative holistic medicine, a book on genetics and DNA, a sci-fi novel (I read this series when it first came out. Now I’m listening to it again while I work), Anne of Green Gables when the kids are around, and the bible and bible study guides. I’m reading a couple different books about camping(Minnesota Vacation Days and Camping Activity Books for Families), a book about tiny houses, The Water-Saving Garden, Dakota County in the Twentieth Century, and also, again, the bible.

Personally, I love the feel of a real book in my hands. I love to look at them and feel their weight in my hands. I enjoy feeling the surface of the cover, smooth on newer books and soft and bumpy on older ones. I love turning pages. If there are diagrams and images to enjoy, or words to mull over, I can pause and take it in. I love hugging a book to my heart, or a stack cradled in my arms.

Overall, whether a real book or an audiobook, there is always great excitement in something new. A new book is a whole adventure contained in one small package. The thoughts and works of the author, which maybe took months or even years to gather and put together for our benefit is such a gift. A book is a doorway to another place, a guide to a new curiosity, a page away from changing the rest of your life.

For this project, I photographed my daughter Cat, holding an old copy of Shakespeare. Since my children share my love of reading, I thought it was appropriate to use one of them for my hobby project.

Cat chose to photograph her piano for her hobby project.

What is one of your hobbies? What do you love about it? Do you love to read? What books are you reading right now?

Previous Week: 52 Project, Week 14: Favorite Scripture
Next Week: 52 Project, Week 16: Multiple
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July 14, 2017July 14, 2017

How to Make Slime

Cupcake begged me for months to make slime. With busy school schedules, we barely had time to breathe, much less, attempt a new, potentially messy and time-consuming craft. I promised her that we would make slime once school was out.

As summer approached, Cupcake happily reminded me frequently of the approaching slime adventure. Once school was out, I went to the store and bought a giant jug of glue. We gathered the remaining supplies at home and all of the kids excitedly assembled around the table for the project.

We had a lot of fun playing with it plain, but we also added a bunch of fun things into it for sensory play. We added a couple different glitters, food dye, cut up straws, craft eyeballs, kinetic sand, and beads. The kids also used straws to blow bubbles. I also added some child-friendly essential oils to a couple batches. Really, you could add anything you want!

Slime Recipe
1/2 cup glue mixed into 1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp borax mixed into 1/2 cup warm water
Slowly add borax into glue, one spoonful at a time until mixture isn’t sticky.
Knead with Hands.
Add glitter, beads, dye, etc.
Play!
Store in zip lock baggies or another airtight container.

Check out our video for an example of how to make it!

Have you made slime? What did you add to it? Share in the comments!

July 5, 2017July 3, 2018

52 Project, Week 14: Favorite Scripture

This is my first chalkboard creation! My daughter Cat usually makes me beautiful art on the chalkboard that Nate made for me. Since this was my challenge, I thought I had better give it a try myself. I didn’t think it was fair to give Cat such a complicated project. (She insists she could have handled it.)

Drawing with chalk is a lot harder than it appears! Chalk is thick and flattens with each use, The edges are unpredictable with swirls and curves, unlike using a pen or pencil. I have to give Cat credit, she makes it look so easy!

Choosing my number one favorite scripture isn’t an easy task. I have a variety of favorite scriptures. Actually, I have a book of favorite scriptures! Narrowing it down to my top two was a little easier.

When I was studying the bible with my mentor, she often helped me find scriptures for life’s problems or questions I had. As we read through different topics, Isaiah 48:17 occasionally came up. Karen always mentioned that it was her favorite scripture and it’s not hard to see why. It’s a great reminder of what’s important in life.

Jehovah is teaching us to help ourselves through his inspired word in the Bible. The Bible is our guide to life and it can help us with every situation in life. With daily study and personal, heartfelt prayer, we’re developing a relationship with God and training our consciousness in the way we should walk.

I love that scripture, but I also love the one that follows.

¹⁷ This is what Jehovah says, your Repurchaser, the Holy One of Israel: “I, Jehovah, am your God, The One teaching you to benefit yourself, The One guiding you in the way you should walk. ¹⁸ If only you would pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

I love the visual of peace and righteousness. It soothes and comforts me. By listening to God and applying his word, peace will be our reward.

Psalms 91:4 is my current favorite. The wording is a little different, depending on which Bible you use. My Bible has a more literal translation in an attempt for accuracy.
With his pinions, he will cover you, And under his wings, you will take refuge. His faithfulness will be a large shield and a protective wall.
Personally, I prefer the new international version, with the word feathers instead of pinions. A Pinion is the outer section of a bird’s wings. Although a pinion is very specific to what part of God’s wings will cover, pinion is not a regular part of my vocabulary.

I love this scripture, because of the thought of being protected by God. I love the visual of being safe, tucked under his wing, like a baby chick. Conjuring this image in my mind brings tears to my eyes. It’s like getting a hug from Jehovah.

Do you have a favorite scripture?

Previous Week: 52 Project, Week 13: Kindness
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May 25, 2017July 3, 2018

52 Project, Week 12: Reflection

It was a foggy morning as I dropped Mr. Awesome off at school. Princess and I ran home to grab my camera and went out looking for some awesome scenery. We weren’t disappointed!

The world was clouded in a beautiful thick white haze. The river was so misty that I could barely see the water beyond the shore. Princess and I listened as a train crossed the bridge, so close, yet nearly invisible to us. We continued to drive along the river, stopping at different spots in awe of the world, so different from its usual stark clarity.

As the fog began to dissipate, I pulled into a parking lot by a little lake. The sun was weakly shining through the clouds. I was worried it would burn off the vapor before I had a chance to hop from the car. I think it worked in my favor. If the fog had been thicker, I wouldn’t have been able to see the far trees.

Dictionary.com defines the word reflection as this:

noun
1.the act of reflecting, as in casting back a light or heat, mirroring, or giving back or showing an image; the state of being reflected in this way.

2.an image; representation; counterpart.

3.a fixing of the thoughts on something; careful consideration.

4.a thought occurring in consideration or meditation.

5.an unfavorable remark or observation.

6.the casting of some imputation or reproach.

For this challenge, I chose the first definition. I thought options 3 and 4 would also work well for this challenge.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve struggled my whole life with negative thoughts. When I was little, I watched the movie Pollyanna and her positive attitude changed my life. There are a few different instances where she is with adults who are very negative, worn down with life and have given up on positivity. Despite their negative outlook, Pollyanna tells them about how she plays a glad game. She strove to find something positive in everything.

Whenever I find myself stuck in a negative rut, I try to find something positive. I tell my children also “Find something positive in every bad situation.” I don’t know that they get it yet, but maybe renting Pollyanna from the library will impress positivity upon them as it did me.

I hope you are having a wonderful week. Are you able to find something positive in negative situations?

Previous Week: 52 Project, Week 11: Art
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May 15, 2017July 3, 2018

52 Project, Week 11: Art

Art can be so many different things! There are thousands of different mediums and styles of art! Choosing one form was incredibly difficult. I am an artist, but I also enjoy the art of others.

The decision of making art of my own or finding a way to honor another person’s art was only mildly difficult. I decided that since this was a mother/child project, it would be fun to make our own art. We’ve always wanted to paint on canvases and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. The whole family headed to Walmart where we picked up a few essentials. Paint, canvases for the children and some paint brushes. We also had a small pack of puzzles in our stash of art supplies from our local dollar store. My own little canvas was also from the dollar store.

Each of the children enjoyed creating a masterpiece on their little canvases. Watching them create makes my heart happy. In addition, I get to enjoy their beautiful art for years to come.

I decided to create an ombre blue base for my canvas project. I started out by using the original shade of blue on the very bottom of the canvas. Then I mixed the blue and white and added another stripe, I continued to add white and paint another stripe until the canvas was done.

After I let the canvas thoroughly dry, I moved onto the next step, glitter! I found an image of an anchor online. I printed it off and Cat cut it out for me to create a stencil. Cat pressed the paper to the canvas and I painted the glue into the anchor shaped opening. I heavily sprinkled the glitter onto the glue. Cat removed the stencil. We shook off the extra glitter onto a sheet of paper and poured the extra glitter back into its container. I bought some spray adhesive that I’m going to use to keep the glitter from falling off. Hopefully, this will keep it pretty for years to come!

What is your favorite way to create art? Do you have a recent project to share with us?

Previous Week: 52 Project, Week 10: Mother/Daughter
Next Week: 52 Project, Week 12: Reflection
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May 2, 2017July 3, 2018

52 Project, Week 9: Ice/Snow/Frost

One of my favorite things about living in Minnesota is the winter season. I prefer the cold air over hot any day of the week. I love wearing boots, instead of flip-flops, I prefer sweaters over camisoles, I love cuddling under warm blankets with those I love. In winter, you won’t find insects, although there might be a ladybug hiding in a warm corner. The best thing about winter though is the beauty that transforms the landscape.

Ice, snow, and frost are so different from one another. They all share the fact that they are created from frozen water, but visually, they are unique. Unlike many of these photography challenges, ice, snow, and frost are limited to a single season and the mercy of the weather. Unfortunately, we had a very late start to the winter season, unusually warm temperatures all season long and an early spring. Trying to capture the images for this challenge were hit or miss.

Frost

Frost is a fascinating creation to behold. It dances and skates across the surface of anything it touches as though fairies were playing in the night. It decorates grass, branches, windows, and anything left outside with a sparkly white layer of crystallized glitter. Seeing a frost covered world, lit by the morning sun is a rare treat, better than a frosted cookie or cake. It is a breathtaking sight to behold. Frost is short lived and hard to capture, but I have great fun trying.

Snow

I love snow. I love how it falls, soft as feathers, beautiful and white, dancing through the air. I love its fluffy blankets spread across the ground and piled upon every surface. I love how it glitters in the sunlight as though diamonds were crushed and sprinkled upon the surface. It brightens the night with a soft, ethereal glow. Snow transforms the entire world into a new place, almost unimaginable from its warm state.

Ice

My children’s favorite activity this winter was ice skating The weather was so warm that we had a very short ice skating season, but we still managed to get out a couple of times. Although I wasn’t photographing them specifically for this photography challenge, I thought it would be fun to share a video of them learning to ice skate.

What is your favorite thing about ice, snow or frost? Do you love getting out there and enjoying winter activities with your family?

Previous Week: 52 Project, Week 8: Winter Trees
Next Week: 52 Project, Week 10: Mother/Daughter
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April 26, 2017July 3, 2018

52 Project, Week 8: Winter Trees

It was snowing heavily as I dropped Mr. Awesome off at school. Princess and I went to one of our favorite parks and were excited to see thick, fluffy flakes covering everything in sight. It was the perfect conditions to capture some winter trees. It was snowing so heavily, I was worried we wouldn’t be able to get a clear enough shot of the trees for the project! Maybe that’s what being a winter tree is all about though.

After playing for a little while and enjoying the wonder that is a thick snowfall, it started to lessen and I got some clearer shots of Princess and the trees. Thankfully, my little snow princess loves to play outside any time of year so she was still in a great mood so I could get a cute portrait of her. I’m hoping to get the same spot for spring, summer, and fall. Maybe I’ll even take a different child for every season.

I love these trees because of the tangle of branches that seem to bend and twist in weird angles as though they are dancing. In winter, when their leaves are gone and you can see the branches, trees remind me of the human body. Some trees look like lungs, with the trachea as the trunk and the bronchi and bronchioles as the branches. Others remind me of neurons. Nature repeats itself in beautiful and fascinating ways. We can’t see the artistry that is inside of the human body without special equipment. It’s far too small for the naked eye. Seeing it with technology is just as incredible though! It’s amazing to think of all of these wonders, this art from our great creator, are hiding inside of us. Looking at the same patterns in trees makes me feel in awe of God and all that he has done for us.

I hope you enjoyed our winter trees! Do you have a favorite grove of trees? Share them with us!

Cupcake’s 52 Project, Week 8: Winter Trees

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Next Week: 52 Project, Week 9: Ice/Snow/Frost
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April 20, 2017July 2, 2018

52 Project, Week 7: Blankets

I was really looking forward to photographing blankets. I love blankets. I have a large variety of colors, textures, and sizes. I knew exactly which colors I wanted and how I was going to photograph them. I wanted a simple pile of blankets in one color.

I chose my cream blankets because cream is soothing and comforting. It reminds me of vanilla, my favorite scent. Cream goes well with every color. I love the color combination of cream, brown and a bright color. In my house, you’ll find many shades of each.

Since it gets pretty cold in our house, we have blankets in almost every room. They’re great to snuggle under for a little extra warmth. The kids love to make tents out of them. I can remember making blanket forts as a child and listening to thunderstorms. I always felt safe and happy in my little hideaway.

Both Nate and I still have our baby blankets. They’re very worn. I have a feeling they’ll be frayed and falling to pieces before long. Every once and awhile we’ll find one of the children curled up in them. It makes me happy knowing they’ve served their purpose, and wrapped our children in a bit of our love and our parent’s love.

Do you love blankets? Share with us your favorite blanket!

Previous Week:52 Project, Week 6: Hair
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April 18, 2017July 2, 2018

52 Project, Week 6: Hair

A woman’s hair is her glory. Depending on how great, or awful, someone’s hair looks, can determine their self-esteem. A bad hair day might dampen someone’s spirits and a good hair day can put an extra bounce in their step. Hair comes in a wide variety of styles, types, colors,.thickness and lengths. I love how different and beautiful we all are.

I can remember having lighter hair when I was young. My hair was blonde as a toddler and it started to darken when I was still very young. One of my early memories is while I was walking with my parents and some friends of theirs. They commented on how beautiful my hair was and my parents mentioned that it was getting darker. I can remember feeling astounded. I had no idea my hair could change color! Later, while playing in the bathtub, I remember studying how my hair got darker as it got wet.

My mother loved the color of my hair and would often tell me how beautiful it was. For, me, hair was something I had to brush, but didn’t want to. My Mother would rip the brush through my hair and I would cry. As an adult, the tables have turned and I get to be the one making my little girls cry, much to my dismay. I try to be careful and work through their hair gently, but I do accidentally hit a snarl or two.

I used my Cupcake’s hair for this project. She has the thickest and longest hair in our family. It’s beautiful and it reminds me of my best friend, Linda’s hair. Linda had thick beautiful hair too and she would always brush it before exiting her vehicle. Unlike Linda’s hair, Cupcake’s hair is a golden blonde, much like mine was as a child.

Do you have a favorite or funny hair story to share with us? Leave a comment below!

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